Post navigation

Mets’ Bobby Parnell Faces Surgery

The New York Mets aren’t ready to say it yet, but there’s a good chance Bobby Parnell’s breakthrough season might be broken down. Parnell has a herniated disk in his neck that could require surgery is a pair of epidurals don’t work.

PARNELL: Surgery possible.

Parnell had an epidural Monday and could receive another in a week. Surgery could be the next option if they don’t take.

It is an option Parnell must prepare himself to take right now, because extending this season isn’t as important a priority as in getting ready for next year. Should Parnell rush himself back, or allow the Mets to hurry him, and there’s another setback it could hinder his preparation for next season.

The Mets have numerous examples of where they’ve rushed an injured player. They appear to have a closer worth building around in Parnell and can’t risk losing him to a serious injury by mishandling him.

“It’s just a holding pattern right now,’’ Parnell told reporters. “We’ll see what happens. … I’m going to try that until I can’t anymore. If it doesn’t work, then surgery is an option. If I do have surgery, they said I’ll be ready for spring training next year. It’s just a waiting game right now.

“I don’t want the season to end like this. I want to get back. But I’ve got to be smart about it, too. If I go out and re-injure it right quick, it’s going to set me back even farther.’’

MEJIA SHINES AGAIN: The Mets must be thrilled with what they received from Jenrry Mejia Tuesday night against Colorado.

First, he pitched to the expectations long expected of him, and second, he did so without the bone spur pain that bothered him in his previous start.

Mejia will have surgery to remove the bone spur in the offseason.

In his three starts since being promoted, Mejia has three walks, 18 strikeouts with a 1.96 ERA. That’s far more encouraging than his last assignment with the Mets in 2010, when then-manager Jerry Manuel attempted to force-feed him a reliever’s role. The shuffling back-and-forth between roles eventually led to an elbow injury and Tommy John surgery.

If the Mets just keep him as a starter and let him develop, they would have only wasted time and not a potential career.

FLORES ADMITS TO NERVES: Rookie prospect Wilmer Flores was hitless in his first four major league at-bats last night and committed an error at third base.

Later Flores conceded his anxiousness.

“A little bit too excited,’’ Flores said. “You want to do well. I was a little bit nervous that first at-bat, but I had fun.’’

Fun is only part of it, because with David Wright out for perhaps as long as a month, this is Flores’ chance to make a strong impression.

As always, your comments are greatly appreciated and I will attempt to answer them. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos